


Toby Ziegler and the Shiksa Goddess

by seekingferret



Category: West Wing
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 2, F/M, Futurefic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-07
Updated: 2011-03-07
Packaged: 2017-10-16 04:31:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/168436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seekingferret/pseuds/seekingferret
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On Purim you're supposed to get so drunk you can't tell the difference between Blessed is Mordecai and Cursed is Haman. Andie spends her whole year with that feeling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Toby Ziegler and the Shiksa Goddess

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kindness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kindness/gifts).



The knock comes when she's at home, enjoying a rare free hour by curling up with _Love in the Time of Cholera_. Andie would be impressed that Toby always manages to catch her when she's not on the run or busy with work, except that she's pretty sure he still waits outside in his car until he's sure she's home and available. Which would be creepy if it were anyone but Toby, and Andie knows just how fucked up it is that she doesn't find it creepy.

"Hi," he says, with that smile of his, the one that looks so fake, his cheeks puffed up absurdly, his eyebrows lowered. The one that makes her heart skip a beat. Not out of love, she now knows, of course, but out of the uncertainty the smile induces in her that she once mistook for love. At least she's sure now that the smile is genuine.

"What are you doing here?"

"You always ask that. As if you were surprised that I would dare. I love you and I love my kids and there aren't many people in this world I love. Do I need to give you more reason?"

"Toby, let's not do this."

"I can't see Josh, CJ, Will or Sam. So you're it." That kind of says it all. She hates that she has to be his lifeline, but she's glad that she is there when he needs her. "I see my kids every couple of weeks, Andie, and sometimes that isn't enough."

"Toby, please. You know you can't guilt trip me, not after barely escaping a jail term that would have kept you away from them for a lot longer than a couple months."

"Fine, we've gone through the motions. Can we talk about why I'm here now?"

"You said you were here to see me."

"I am. But I also wanted to know the kids' schedule for Purim."

"Purim? When is that this year?"

"14 Adar, same as every year."She can't even see the barest hint of humor in his face.

"Come on, Toby. You know I can't keep all your holidays straight."

He stares at her for a moment, then relents. "It's March 19th. I thought I could come down to the house and take the kids to Temple for the Megillah reading. You won't have to do anything."

She snorts. "Except fit them for..." He cuts her off before she can finish talking.

"I will take care of the costumes. Molly can wear Orioles clothing on Halloween, but on Purim she'd better be wearing a Yankees uniform. They're God's team."

"She likes the Orioles herself. I told you that. She's told you that, for that matter." She swats him lightly.

"Anyway, if you want to come you're welcome. I'll be in the Purim Spiel this year."

"They let you be part of the Purim Spiel?" She hasn't been involved with temple politics, but she knows it's been difficult for him since the shuttle. His faith is so entangled in being part of a community. He's another Jack Abramoff, Bernie Madoff, Charles Kushner. There are people who won't even wish him Shabbat Shalom.

"They couldn't find anyone else to play Haman."

Oh, poor, poor Toby. She tries to keep the pity off her face. "That's perfect! You're a great actor." He brightens and she can see that he understood, that she wasn't saying he ever lied to her. He's good at nuance.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiles at him, her genuine-looking, politician's smile to match his fake-looking New York liberal smile.

"Then I'll be going now. I'll see you and the kids next week."

"It was good to see you, Toby."

"It was good to see you, Andie."


End file.
